A Life Without Art

Is a life without art worth living? Some philosophers have suggested that appreciating art makes your life better because it brings you pleasure, or because it gives you valuable knowledge of the world, or because it helps to shape your moral character. In contrast, guest philosopher Professor David Macarthur, defends the view that engaging with artworks acts as a model for engaging with other human beings, and that shared appreciation of art is an important source of intimacy in otherwise isolated lives. 

Creators and Guests

Host

Professor Luke Russell

Guest

Professor David Macarthur

What is The Philosophy of Living Well?

In this series of podcasts, University of Sydney philosopher Luke Russell is joined by a series of guests to examine the nature of the good life. What is it to live well? How should we treat other people? How should we respond when things go wrong? Which goals are worth pursuing? These fascinating discussions reveal a variety of competing conceptions of human flourishing, and help you to think more clearly about how you ought to live.